


New Year, New Beginnings

by StarlightDreamer21



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Life Lessons, New Year's Eve, New Year's Resolutions, dedicated to 2020 graduates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:33:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28442481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarlightDreamer21/pseuds/StarlightDreamer21
Summary: Four months after returning to the original timeline, Daisy is ringing in the new year with the team before they all move onto separate adventures. Daisy reflects on what she’s learned and where she wants to go next.
Relationships: Melinda May & Skye | Daisy Johnson, Skye | Daisy Johnson/Daniel Sousa
Comments: 14
Kudos: 33





	New Year, New Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! For my last work of 2020, I decided to be sappy. This has been a hard year for everyone, but I dedicate this piece to my fellow 2020 graduates and every other student who has had to make hard adjustments this year. 
> 
> If you would like to read more of my sappiness about the idea for this one-shot, stick around for the end notes! Otherwise, enjoy this Team, MayDaisy, and Dousy fluff! Happy New Year everyone!

Daisy casually sipped her beer while looking around the surprisingly well decorated lounge area in the Lighthouse. Twinkle lights had been strung around the ceiling and there were vases filled with wildflowers curtesy of Alya. She smiled thinking back to a few hours prior when her niece was dancing around the middle of the room with Flint. Alya absolutely adored Flint and they had all been captivated by her giggles as he would twirl Alya around to whatever music Piper had picked. 

It became much quieter in the room after Fitz had put the small child to bed and Flint had moved to play video games with Piper. Daisy looked over to the couches where he sat with Piper, Kora and the new LMD-Chronicom Davis. Daisy couldn’t hear what they were talking about, but she was sure it was more of Piper telling Kora embarrassing Davis stories. Seeing how easily Kora and Piper had become friends filled Daisy with joy. She partly felt like she should be worried about what trouble the two could cause, but she also knew Piper would be a positive influence on Kora.

Daisy continued scanning the room, seeing it filled with her favorite people. Jemma and Elena were chatting with Coulson about the kids – getting Flint a proper education before he joined the Academy and helping Alya adjust to childhood on Earth. 

Finally, she found the rest of the guys huddled around one of the tables. It was no surprise to find Daniel and Mack together since they had become fast friends. Mack had been a huge help in introducing Daniel to the 21st century and their similar sense of humor made everyone laugh. 

And Fitz, well, unknown to everyone but Jemma, he was a bit of an Agent Sousa fan during his Academy days – he even wrote one of his final papers on the man. Daisy laughed every time she thought of his face the first time they met. Luckily, Fitz kept his cool better than Jemma would meeting Peggy Carter. 

Daisy was happy to see that the two men got along quite well. Despite there still being an unacknowledged chasm between her and Fitz, it was comforting to know Daniel had friends in the modern day that he could rely on.

Daisy briefly glanced at the clock wondering where May was; she should be back by now. She finished the last of her beer, prepared to go see if May needed any help but felt the couch dip as she was about to stand up.

“I brought you another one,” May said passing her another beer.

Daisy smiled, “thanks. Everything ready upstairs?”

May nodded, “no one noticed our absences, right?”

“Not that I can tell. I’ve only been here a couple minutes, and no one has noticed yet.”

May nodded and sipped at her own beer, scanning the room with a slight smile.

They both relaxed leaning back on the couch. Daisy enjoyed the feeling of warmth she got from seeing everyone she loved in one place.

“You were awfully pensive when I came over. Penny for your thoughts?”

Daisy blushed slightly and sank a little deeper in the couch, “your new abilities keep throwing me for a loop.”

May smirked, “sorry Dais but I didn’t need my powers to know that. It was written all over your face.” Daisy tried to hide her rising blush from being called out. “But now that you’ve brought it up, I can sense a swell of emotions coming from you, so once again I ask, penny for your thoughts?”

Daisy sighed looking at May, the person who had never been overly affectionate but had become the person Daisy turned to for almost everything. She relaxed knowing that May wouldn’t judge her.

“Just lots of thinking. Thinking about the past, the present, the future. Seeing so many people in this room who I’ve grown to love reminds me how far I’ve come. It also reminds me that in 3 days I head to space and leave most of you behind to go your separate ways.”

“And that scares you.” May said as a fact, not a question.

Daisy sighed, there wasn’t much she was afraid of after years with SHIELD. She faced everything – even death – head on. But moments like this drew up her deep-seated abandonment issues that she loathed acknowledging. She knew this day would come. It didn’t make it any easier though. 

“You know,” May began, taking Daisy’s silence as a queue to keep talking, “I felt a lot of fear when Coulson started helping Fury with the Avengers initiative.”

Daisy turned to face May more directly, never having heard this story.

“I knew he was more than capable, but for the first time, I knew I wouldn’t be by his side to make sure he didn’t die. And that scared me. What made it worse was that he did die.”

May paused to look at Daisy, wanting to make sure she fully grasped what she said next. “When Coulson came back to life, I vowed to never let the people I love run into battle without me by their side. It’s why I took Fury’s offer – I never wanted to feel that fear again. But Dais, despite my lack of personal emotions, I know that I would feel that fear again with you going to space while I’m here. I know it’s what’s best for you but that doesn’t mean I won’t worry.”

Daisy sat stunned; she didn’t think anything could insight fear into Melinda May. “I didn’t know you felt fear.”

May smirked, “just because I never showed it doesn’t mean I didn’t feel it.”

Daisy smiled sheepishly, “you know I’ve been to space before, right?”

“Yes, and I felt fear then too. I also felt fear when you disappeared after Lincoln.”

Daisy winced and looked down, “sorry.”

“It’s alright. You needed time and you came back to us alive, that’s all I care about.”

Daisy tried to smile, “I’ve come a long way since then, especially since being Skye.”

“You certainly have.” May cocked a smile back. “And that’s why despite my fear, I’m excited for your space travels.

“You are extremely capable Daisy and I think you are finally ready be the leader you are meant to be without personal baggage holding you back. You’ll have Daniel and Kora, and you’ll get to do good within the universe.

“But most importantly,” May said resting her hand on Daisy’s knee, “you finally learned that you don’t get to choose who cares about you. So don’t be sad that everyone is going their own ways because we will all be here when you get back. We aren’t leaving _you_ , we’re leaving the mission, moving onto new adventures just like you are.”

Daisy knew May was right. Fitzsimmons were moving to Scotland to enjoy parenting, Coulson was going to travel the world, May was leaving fieldwork to take over the new Academy and Mack was embracing his director role. Elena, Piper, and Davis were the only ones continuing with field missions. Yet, she had asked for the space mission. She could have finally chosen a peaceful life, but it hadn’t felt right.

Daisy looked down at her fiddling hands. “For so long, I was _waiting_. Waiting for a good foster home, waiting till I could age out or run away, waiting till I could find a stable way of living, waiting till the world wasn’t at risk of falling apart, waiting for the pain to end,” Daisy said before releasing a long sigh, “waiting until I could have a normal life.

“But then the mission ended and instead of relief I felt dread. What would come next? Instead of focusing on the present, I’ve spent my whole life waiting for the future and if time travel taught me anything, it’s that I can’t live like that anymore. I need this mission to learn how to live in the present which is the only place where I will be able to not just survive but thrive. Hopefully then I can come back and have a happy ending.”

May squeezed the girl’s knee again, feeling the waves of sadness but determination rolling off of her. “There is no such thing as a happy ending, Dais. You have to learn to take life’s joys when they come. I think time with Daniel and Kora will be good for you.” Daisy smiled at May who kept talking. “And when your ready, you will always have a home with the rest of your family.”

Daisy couldn’t reset closing the gap between them and throwing her arms around May. It only took a moment before May was wrapping her arms around Daisy and squeezing her tight. “Don’t forget to come back to us Dais.”

Daisy held on for several moments before giving one last squeeze and reluctantly pulling away, trying to discretely wipe away the one traitorous tear that slipped, “never.”

May smiled at Daisy and they both relaxed again, picking up their beers which had been placed on the table at some point and turned to lighter discussions. May talked about the Academy and Daisy told her about Kora’s training progress. Before they knew it, Mack was clearing his throat.

“It’s thirty minutes till midnight and I’d like to make a toast,” he said gathering everyone’s attention.

“The last several years have been filled with several ups and downs. We’ve had our joys,” he looked at Daniel and Flint, “and we’ve had our losses,” looking at Fitz and Coulson. “We’ve dealt with robots, aliens, two alternate timelines, and many horrors within our own timeline, but we have all made it to this point right now. We are alive and well and moving onto new adventures.”

Mack took a brief pause to look at everyone in the room and smiled. “From the people who have entered our lives, for better or worse, to the those we’ve lost, we have all been affected by each other, we have existed together. Wherever we may go next, we have each other. We have our past, our present, and our future too. I am grateful for all of you. This isn’t goodbye – our paths will all one day cross again and until then, let’s appreciate every moment we have. Cheers to what’s to come!”

“To new adventures!” Fitz said, looking at Jemma.

“To learning new things,” Kora said.

“To life,” Daniel added.

“To friends,” Piper cheered.

“To family,” May said looking at Daisy.

“To living in the present,” Daisy smiled.

“And to our futures, with more moments like this,” Coulson said, and they all raised their drinks.

“Cheers and happy New Year everyone!” Mack said. Everyone laughed and cheered.

After that, people got up and shuffled who they were talking with. May squeezed her shoulder one more time before going to chat with Kora and Coulson. Daisy sighed contentedly and noticed Daniel walking her way.

“Hey,” she smiled at him.

“Hi,” he said tapping there bottles together for cheers. “How’d your talk with May go?”

It never ceased to amaze Daisy how perceptive this man was. He could be naïve on occasion, but he was incredibly observant which always made her smile.

“Good, she just wanted to remind me of a few things before we leave for space.”

“You’re not second guessing, are you? I’m sure Mack can find a different crew if you are.”

Daisy smiled, “no, I’m fine. I’m ready for our new assignment and I’m ready to live in the moment.”

“I think that’s a good new year’s goal for us and Kora.”

Daisy nodded her head and looked at the wall clock. “Speaking of the new year, we got to go.”

“Go? Go where?” Daniel asked.

“It’s a surprise,” Daisy said lowering her voice and smirking. She kissed his cheek before making a whistling noise to gather everyone’s attention.

“Alright everyone, May and I have a special surprise but in order for that to happen, we all need to head up to the observation deck of the Lighthouse.”

Everyone looked confused but knew asking questions was futile. They all piled into the elevator that would take them to ground level and then they would have to climb the 200 stairs up to the top. Luckily, as highly trained agents, the climb wasn’t horrible.

When they reached the top, they found it lit with paper lanterns, several boxes of sparklers, and a few bottles of champagne.

Daisy passed out sparklers while Kora went around lighting them. It was 30-seconds till midnight when Daisy made her way back to Daniel. She curled into his side and they joined in on the countdown.

“10! 9! 8!”

“To a new year and new beginnings,” Daniel said pulling her closer.

“3! 2! 1!”

Daisy eagerly leaned up and kissed him. They only pulled away when they heard fireworks from behind them.

“Happy New Year in the 21st century Daniel,” she said before they turned to watch the fireworks going off in the distance.

Their sparklers were basically finished, and Daisy looked around to see everyone she loved embracing the new year with their loved ones. Fitzsimmons, Mack and Yoyo, and Coulson and May were all standing much like her and Daniel while the last four team members were laughing playing with sparklers.

Kora passed out the champagne flutes and they all raised their glasses, “Happy New Year everyone! Here’s to many more to come!” Coulson said making eye contact with everyone.

Shouts of ‘Cheers!’ and ‘Happy New Year’ rang out across the observation deck and Daisy smiled. She leaned over to kiss Daniel again, “I’m ready for our new beginning and whatever the future may hold.”

“Me too,” Daniel said giving her one more chaste kiss. She leaned back into his chest and he wrapped his arm around her securely. 

Part of her still felt like she was waiting for the future to come and scared about leaving the only family she has behind. But being up here, at the top of the Lighthouse watching fireworks and seeing stars made her happy about her decision to live in the present. 

Fate throws wrenches in your plans all the time and if you are constantly waiting for happiness like she has her whole life, you will never achieve it. Time keeps moving; it won’t stop for anything, so you either sink or swim. Only here in the present, wrapped in in a blanket of love, could she truly learn to swim. That is what Daisy would strive for this year – thriving, not just surviving.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! When I began writing in September, I never envisioned writing 14 pieces before the end of the year, but here we are and I’m really proud of myself. I know this fic has it's flaws but it means a lot to me and I wanted to reflect a bit on 2020 and the ending of the show.
> 
> My friends and I all remember the exact moment on March 12 at 10:00 am when we got the email saying that our senior year of college would be completed virtually. Two months’ worth of senior traditions and goodbyes were packed into 48 hours before we said goodbye to friends that got on flights to far off distances. This emotional turn of events led to some of the most eloquent pieces of writing I’ve ever read found in Instagram captions and school magazine articles; I have paraphrased and included some of my favorites within this one-shot.
> 
> I sincerely hope that all of my fellow AoS fans are staying safe and I encourage everyone to make an effort to live in the present. Waiting for the next best thing will never feel fulfilling without appreciating what you have right now. Hopefully next year will bring better days
> 
> Cheers to 2021 and New Beginnings – Lauren <3


End file.
